Travel and expense management

Abstract

A travel and expense management is proposed that runs on a computer system. A business calendar system receives travel data for a trip from an employee user. The travel data is transmitted from the business calendar system to a travel service retention system using a conduit software program. The travel service retention system books one or more travel services for the trip. A confirmation notice is sent to the employee user.

1 . In a computer system, a method comprising: 
 receiving from an employee user travel data for a trip via a business calendar system;    transmitting the travel data from the business calendar system to a travel service retention system using a conduit software program; and    booking one or more travel services with the travel service retention system for the trip.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending a confirmation notice to the employee user and a management user.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing a record in the business calendar system corresponding to a travel event in the trip.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the record identifies at least one of a date, time, or travel service provider for the travel event.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 pre-populating an expense report template based on the trip to create an expense report;    displaying the expense report to the employee user; and    receiving a finalized version from the employee user.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 receiving a list of expenses incurred during the trip; and    using the list of expenses to pre-populate the expense report template.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the list of expenses is received from one of a phone, a digital camera, a personal digital assistant, a credit card company database, or a travel booking ghost card.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 displaying the pre-populated expense report template to a management user; and    receiving approval from the management user.    
   
   
       9 . A set of instructions residing in a storage medium, said set of instructions capable of being executed by a storage controller to implement a method for processing data, the method comprising: 
 receiving from an employee user travel data for a trip via a business calendar system;    transmitting the travel data from the business calendar system to a travel service retention system using a conduit software program; and    booking one or more travel services with the travel service retention system for the trip.    
   
   
       10 . The set of instructions of  claim 9 , further comprising storing a record in the business calendar system corresponding to a travel event in the trip.  
   
   
       11 . The set of instructions of  claim 9 ,further comprising: 
 pre-populating an expense report template based on the trip to create an expense report;    displaying the expense report to the employee user, and    receiving a finalized version from the employee user.    
   
   
       12 . The set of instructions of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 receiving from a list of expenses incurred during the trip; and    using the list of expenses to pre-populate the expense report template.    
   
   
       13 . The set of instructions of  claim 12 , wherein the list of expenses is received from one of a phone, a digital camera, a personal digital assistant, a credit card company database, or a travel booking ghost card.  
   
   
       14 . The set of instructions of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 displaying the pre-populated expense report template to a management user; and    receiving approval from the management user.    
   
   
       15 . A computer system comprising: 
 an input/output port to connect the computer system to a travel service retention system; and    a processor to execute: 
 a business calendar system to receive from an employee user travel data for a trip; and  
 a conduit software program to transmit the travel data from the business calendar system to the travel service retention system, and to book one or more travel services with the travel service retention system for the trip.  
   
   
   
       16 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the conduit software program sends a confirmation notice to the employee user and a management user.  
   
   
       17 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the conduit software program pre-populates an expense report template based on the trip to create an expense report, displays the expense report to the employee user, and receives a finalized version from the employee user.  
   
   
       18 . The computer system of  claim 17 , wherein the conduit software program receives a list of expenses incurred during the trip, and uses the list of expenses to pre-populate the expense report template.  
   
   
       19 . The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the list of expenses is received from one of a phone, a digital camera, a personal digital assistant, a credit card company database, or a travel booking ghost card.  
   
   
       20 . The computer system of  claim 19 , wherein the conduit software program displays the pre-populated expense report template to a management user, and receives approval from the management user.